


Forever Yours

by leafyxthiefy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Ghost Possession, M/M, Magic-Users, Word Spells
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 15:20:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7646386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafyxthiefy/pseuds/leafyxthiefy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco and Ace have lost one another to the inescapable hands of death. Sabo is studying to be an Occultist, and as such he’s drawn to everything supernatural and unexplained. When an unrefusable opportunity to speak with a ghost comes his way, Sabo simply cant refuse. But what price must he pay for this communication with the dead?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever Yours

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry to this year's OPScifiandFantasy Event. And was beta'd by my lovely friends Amaranth_PaiPai and ShiShiSwordsman
> 
> Warnings: Non-Con, Mind Control, Character Death, Ghost, Possession, Magic AU
> 
> Latin is a dead language that only a select few know. The users and creators of the language are the family of D, and the Phoenix Race. I will add all translations for the Latin at the bottom of the fic, but feel free to use Google translate [As I did] so you won't lose your place. Now, I hope you enjoy!~

" _Vinculum in me… et ego dabo vobis mea sui*"_ Sabo read each and every word out loud, pronouncing each phrase to the best of his ability, and waited.

The seconds ticked away, transforming into minutes that continued to drag on longer and longer even as Sabo began to drum his fingers along the wooden desk.

"Guess it didn't work." the blonde mumbled and sighed. He had spent hours on his research, following lead after lead and having to backtrack a couple times in order to get to his desired destination.

The Deep Web.

Sabo had always possessed a morbid fascination in the occult: curses, ghosts, urban legends, demons, and the likes. So the moment that he heard about the possibility to communicate with a genuine spirit, he immediately jumped on that lead and followed it to where he was confident he'd find something.

Any good investigator ought to know that the first link was nothing but a clue that would guide them to the real deal and Sabo had definitely gotten there, or so he had thought. He had gone through every plausible link that could convey an answer. Instead, he had been met with another dud. His solid lead no longer looked trustworthy, and Sabo was beginning to think he was running on a fool's errand.

Deciding that his little trip to the Deep Web had been enough disappointment for one night, Sabo pushed himself away from the desk and yawned.

The blonde rubbed at his tired eyes, hoping to ease the dull thrum they had developed. And though his eyes complied after some coaxing, it soon became very clear that they no longer wanted to continue glaring at a screen.

Looking away from the offending object, Sabo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. That had been enough excitement for the day.

And to think that the verse actually _looked_ legit. Then again, many of them did. Sabo had thought for sure that the poem was going to be real and he would finally have a chance to talk to a spirit without any nasty consequences.

Lowering his hands slowly, Sabo peeked at the slanted words on his screen and frowned. Maybe he wasn't seeing as straight anymore and had fucked up the wording? Or perhaps the pronunciation? Either option was very possible considering how much his vision was making the words swim.

_I'll just give you another shot tomorrow._

With that thought for comfort, Sabo wheeled away from the monitor and shut it off for the night–careful to leave the computer on a hibernating state as to not erase his pattern. The action promptly plunged his room into an all encompassing darkness.

His bed was a mere six feet away, possibly nine if he shuffled his feet. So it stood to reason that he was looking at nine shuffling steps to reach heaven. However, the question quickly became about Sabo having enough energy to complete the strenuous task.

Sabo's bed seemed too good to be true, and too far away for his liking. The blonde contemplated the cons and pros of actually getting up from his chair and crossing the daunting distance that existed between him and the sweet, sweet promise of Eden.

On one hand lay effort, while the other held the lulling promise of comfort.

To say that Sabo was torn was an understatement. He considered pushing against the desk, hoping to get to the bed with some luck, but there was no guarantee that this plan would work, especially when he knew that the ground was currently a mess.

Ultimately, Sabo sighed and gave up any thoughts of looking for comfort. He would have to be up and heading to class in about 3 hours; seeking his bed would only lead to him oversleeping, so there was no helping it.

* * *

Sabo was bleary eyed and disgruntled the next morning. He was not feeling the least bit rested and he was pretty sure the bags under his eyes could be seen from a mile away.

The steaming cup of coffee at his side was his one true and only friend at the moment. Not like the professor's head pounding lecture droning on in the background. Sabo had listened to the first three words and immediately zoned out. That day's lecture was focused on the astral plane, and Sabo was instantly relieved that he didn't necessarily have to listen to it, he already knew the material by heart and didn't need a refresher.

Honestly, he was only taking the class because it was a required elective, and he could use the credits.

When the class was halfway through its hour, Professor Pell went into the question portion of the lecture needed for the class discussion.

"Correct, Miss Gekko. And the necessary key stages needed in order to project the soul from the body are? Mr. Kakumei."

Sabo's head snapped up at the call of his name and immediately regretted it when his brain started to protest the action with a new wave of headaches. Sabo groaned under his breath while he replayed the question he had been asked. The three key steps to achieving an out-of-body experience? Really, how simple.

Sabo had thought he would get a more difficult question, but supposed he should be rather grateful that his question was a relatively easy one. On any normal day, he would have prefered a query that challenged his intellect, but as it was already stated, he remained drained from the previous night. Still, Sabo mentally scoffed and opened his mouth.

"I dunno." were the words that escaped, however.

His blue eyes snapped open and Sabo's head raised up higher, now more alert. But that did little to diffuse the situation that was now unfolding. Sabo could see the exact moment when the entire class seemed to gyrate in his direction, eyes drawn to the star pupil who suddenly claimed to not know the answer to something so fundamentally simple and essential to the class' subject.

"Pardon me, could you elaborate on that, Mr. Kakumei? I believe I misheard you." Pell stated, fully turning to face him and folding his arms behind his back.

Sabo's brow furrowed as he set aside the burning question of why such a ridiculous and uncalled for answer had come out of his mouth. He _knew_ the answer, so why in the hell would he say– "I said I don't know. Jeez, you don't have to rub it in man."

What had he just responded? Had Sabo really told the professor that he didn't know the answer when he clearly _did_.

"And what the hell are you guys looking at?" Sabo heard his voice snap at the surrounding class members, involuntarily meeting each and every gaze with a challenging one of his own.

"If you will not be taking this lecture seriously, Mr. Kakumei, the door welcomes you with open arms." The professor's soft spoken voice demanded in a tone that was not a suggestion, but rather an order.

Sabo wanted to apologize, wanted to let Professor Pell know that he _did_ take the class seriously and he was dedicated to his courses. But none of his carefully arranged words ever reached his lips.

Instead of an apology, his mouth twisted up into a smirk. "Well then, don't mind if I do. Later."

Sabo's body then stood without a second glance to his still warm coffee or his spiral notebook. And oddly enough, every attempt that he made to turn around and _beg_ to be allowed back into the class proved to be futile.

Sabo's legs carried him out of the classroom and through the campus, going in so many directions before finally making it to a bus stop.

Sabo's hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the only thing that occupied the space. He watched helplessly as his own hands opened the small leather object and he examined it.

"Now, let's see what we have here... Eighty in cash, ATM card that I will definitely need a pin to, photos… Ah, here we go." Sabo's voice said as his hand pulled out two cards out of their slots.

"Sabo Kakumei. Age 23. Not bad, at least I didn't end up in some 40–something year old or worse; though the name... What kind of name is Sabo?" he wondered out loud and Sabo snapped.

_What the fuck is going on?_

Sabo's body jerked and he looked around curiously before his fingers snapped. "Ah you must be Sabo, I woulda introduced myself earlier but you seemed really sleepy and I had a body to take control of. I'd ask if that was okay, but seeing as to how it's already done." Sabo's body shrugged.

_I– Woah, wait… What?_

"Really, is that all you can ask? Isn't it the polite thing to ask my name?" Sabo scoffed and crossed his–no, Sabo's arms over _Sabo's_ chest.

"You invited _me_ here and don't even have an idea of what's going on?" Sabo's lips pursed. "You said the spell man, and now you're living out the consequences."

 _The... spell?_ Sabo thought with a jolt as his midnight hunt finally came rushing back.

"Ah, I see you remember. Anyway, my name's Ace, though for obvious purposes, I'll be sticking to yours for a while."

 _But, why? Why me and how can I not speak? I can see, I can_ feel _, but I have no control over my body, or my voice or,–_

"You relinquished that right when you invited me in, smarty pants." Ace snorted. "You _gave_ me your body when you said the spell. So thanks for that blondie, now I can finally get to my unfinished business."

 _That still doesn't explain how there can be two conscious minds active at the same time, theoretically, that's impossible! One body can only hold_ one _mind._

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? But hell if I know… Now shut up, the bus is coming." Ace whispered and looked forward, an easy smile on his face.

While Sabo was left reeling with the information, Ace hummed without a care in the world as he climbed onto the bus and took a random seat.

Thus, Sabo was left with a massive amount of unanswered questions that he could not voice and was sure that Ace would not provide any answers to so easily. Nothing surrounding this situation made any sense to Sabo, his body was being possessed by someone else–or maybe even _something_ else–and he was _somehow_ aware of it. How was it possible? When had it happened? And the words he had read the previous night.. They had in no way invited someone _into_ him. Had they?

Sabo should have looked them up, he should have made absolutely sure what they exactly meant. He should have–it was too late for that. Any should have and would haves were irrelevant at that point and he knew it.

Whatever deal he had verbally agreed to got him stuck with this Ace until he could figure out a way out of it.

Sabo retreated into his mind, deciding to observe for the time being. He was essentially trapped within his own mind with no way out and no way to fight the will that stood between him and control. And it certainly didn't seem like Ace–if that was his real name–was willing to give up on Sabo's body so soon. It also didn't look like Ace had too much trouble with moving around; he knew what a bus was, and was obviously on his course to someplace close.

With those two factors, Sabo could only guess that either Ace had not been a ghost–spirit, demon-thing–for too long, or he had been studying people for a good amount of time to learn of modern transportation. Then, there was the little issue of their destination. Sabo knew for a fact that this particular bus never went outside the city's limits, the farthest it went to was the shady side of town. But they were headed opposite of that, so unless Ace was willing to wait until they made the roundabout trip, they were in for quite a ride. Sabo doubted that was the plan, however, since it would have been much easier for them to walk to wherever they were going, than ride the bus all the way there.

Sabo sighed mentally and looked forward once more only to realize that Ace was on the move.

He hadn't even _felt_ that, how had he not been aware of his own body's movements?

* * *

Ace hummed and tilted his head. It was definitely weird, the whole posession business. He could _feel_ something in the back of his mind moving and pushing, and demanding he leave in a sense. But Ace couldn't do so, not when he had gotten this far.

Ace had to finish what he had started, otherwise there was no point in his mission.

 _Oi! Hey! Listen to me!_ The voice in Ace's borrowed mind yelled at him, pulling him away from his thoughts.

"Kinda hard to ignore you when you're yelling there, Bo _."_ Ace muttered under his breath knowing very well that his words would be heard by the blonde either way.

 _I am_ not _yelling! I just want to know if you'll finally tell me where we are going._

"No, you are definitely yelling. And you'll see soon enough, so why ruin the sur–?"

Ace could imagine Sabo's head snapping up, eyes intently glaring at him by the way his consciousness moved within their shared space as the other interrupted him. _And what exactly do you think gives you the right to call me Bo?_

"Okay, jeez, don't get your panties in a twist Sabo. Now hush, we're here." Ace said waving dismissively at the air while he opened the door to a little bar.

Stepping in, Ace couldn't help the wave of nostalgia that overcame him. The scent of lingering nicotine, underlying hint of beer and rum welcomed him in just as much as the heavenly scent of whatever it was that Thatch was cooking that day.

Ace opened his mouth with every intention to ask the pompadour sporting chef what was cooking when a pair of blue eyes landed on him.

Ace was thrown back into reality at that moment and closed his mouth so fast, he could have sworn the click resounded across the room.

He was a stranger.

There was no recognition in those eyes. The eyes he had desired to see for so long looked onto him with vacant disinterest before moving onto the next person.

Ace almost backtailed out of there. But he couldn't. Not after he had gotten this far.

Swallowing his rising panic, he stepped forward, ignoring the curious gazes of some of the regular patrons. Step after step, Ace forced his new body to keep moving until he was seated in his usual seat.

Marco was not by any means looking in his direction at all, and still Ace could clearly see the flash of pain that overcame the deep blue eyes as they bore down on the cup in his hands.

But if there was one thing Marco was good at, it was at maintaining his composure and collectiveness. The bitter and pained look was suppressed just as fast as it had appeared, and with a smile the blonde turned to Ace. "What'll you have?"

Ace could _see_ that the smile was strained. He knew the smile was anything but genuinely happy. Marco was still hurting and Ace ached for him. He wanted to reach across the bar and tell Marco that he was there for him. Ace wanted to shout out that he still loved him, that he was there and nothing else mattered.

But those words never rose to Ace's lips. Instead he smiled, a small brief smile that was meant for strangers and not the greatest love of his life. He knew exactly what he wanted in regards to food and otherwise, but those would have to wait.

Since no one had immediately called out Sabo's name, Ace could safely presume that this was the blonde's first appearance at the bar. Which greatly worked out in Ace's favor.

"Are you going to order, yoi?" Marco's voice snapped Ace out of his mental musings and immediately had him locking eyes with Marco before he quickly looked away.

"I…" Ace had to swallow to rid himself of the sudden dryness in his mouth.

"Mind if I see a menu? I'm, ah..." Ace paused for the briefest of moments. "I'm kinda new here."

Ace could _feel_ Marco's eyes in him, he could practically see them as they studied him up and down, judging his story, analyzing his movements and trying to gauge the credibility to his words.

"Sure, hold on, yoi." Marco said after a moment and Ace sighed in relief. Marco hadn't seen through him. It was a relief in itself. Though Ace wanted nothing more than to announce to Marco that he was there, that he was alive–sorta–and assure the blonde that he would never leave again. But he couldn't do that, not yet. Ace had to get Marco alone, he needed to tell him in person and away from viewers.

Ace was handed the menu silently and he smiled in thanks, but he didn't see the print. Ace didn't need to when he knew every single item by heart. Instead, he was planning his next move.

_So, the reason we're here is because you're hungry? Seriously!?_

Ace jumped at the sudden intrusion in his mind and had to stop himself from groaning.

"No you idiot, now shut up, I'm trying to–"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Marco asked, one brow raised in question as Ace felt a sudden heat rush to his cheeks.

"Uh.. No, I'm sorry. I was talking to myself. Can I have Mondo burger with fried onions, the specialty fries and–" Ace stopped.

The look Marco was giving him was enough to make his blood run cold. Hours seemed to pass between the two as they did nothing more than stare at each other until the older blonde uneasily looked away.

"Yeah, sure. Anything to drink?" Marco asked after the spell between them was broken.

"A glass of water, please." Ace answered and handed back the menu. Ace watched as Marco walked away from him, his posture rigid and not at all relaxed .

 _What was that? He looked pale._ Sabo mused, bringing Ace back from his own thoughts.

"Will you quit already? Go back to being silent." Ace snapped irritably. He sighed once more, running a hand through his hair, only to realize that it didn't have the same feel. The hair on his head was still soft and he could tell that it was well taken care of, but it certainly was finer than his. His black wavy hair was thicker than what he currently had, and this new do was shorter too. Ace hadn't noticed until then, but the back of his neck was feeling rather exposed. Anyway, that was beside the point.

Ace had realized too late that he was ordering his favorite meal in very much the same manner he always did. He should have picked something less conspicuous! Something any ordinary person would order; like a regular burger, or just a drink, maybe even an omelette.

Ace groaned under his breath and banged his head head against the bar's surface.

 _Oi! Watch it!_ Sabo protested and Ace ignored the voice. He was raising Marco's suspicions, which could be bad or could work out in his favor, but the chances of that happening were slim. Once Marco was suspicious, it was hard for him to shake off any feeling of danger.

No sooner had Ace risen his head from the bar's counter when a familiar face appeared. Marco had apparently opted to not return to the counter, possibly calling an early break, which was just Ace's luck. The fact that Marco was now avoiding him only confirmed his suspicions of what just happened. He had freaked out Marco, and now the usually calm blonde was going to spend the next fifteen minutes of his rest thinking things over.

Ace wondered to what conclusion he would come up with, but he didn't dwell too much on it as he was given a tall glass of water.

"So, I hear you're new in town, just passing by?" the deep tenor asked and Ace tried hard not to snap his head up and back out of his entire plan. He had come too far to just cave in now, and if he was given the chance, Ace doubted he would ever be able to muster the courage to do as he was doing at the moment.

No, he had to see the day until the end now.

"You can say that. I recently moved in, what with classes starting in the fall soon." Ace smiled easily enough.

"Ah, a Uni kid. That's pretty cool, what will you be majoring in?" Thatch asked while polishing a glass in what appeared to be his main focus.

Ace nearly blurted out, _fine arts_ , but held his mouth shut. He was Sabo right now, at least to them he was, and something told him that Sabo was not interested in arts, at least not in the form of a career. His time in response was slow, but Ace was hoping Thatch didn't read too much into it. Though the chef looked to be fixated on his glass, Ace knew all too well that he was being watched by those sharp brown eyes. Thatch had long ago perfected the art of a seemingly aloof bartender, and he was anything but.

"At the moment, I want to focus on my Gen Eds, but I suppose marine biology would be my first choice." Ace said and took the glass of water, using the action to gauge Thatch's reaction.

The older man hummed and seemed to accept the answer. "Nice, one of my brothers is considering that field as well. Hey, maybe you two will have classes together! What did you say your name was again?"

"Sabo Kakumei. If your brother sees me around campus, tell him not to be a stranger." Ace grinned and Thatch smiled in return, giving him a nod.

"Sabo, huh, weird name." The brunette commented and Ace chuckled.

"I guess, but what can you do." Ace shrugged helplessly and Thatch mirrored the gesture. "True, my name's Thatch in case you're wondering, and before you ask: yes I am taken and very smitten with the one who captured my heart."

Ace laughed, "So I see, lucky lady. Whatever shall I do with my shattered heart?"

"More like lucky me," Thatch grinned and set the glass down. "Never would I have thought that I would be so helplessly in love with my beloved, but it worked out and I couldn't be happier. Though I can recommend a few things for that heart if you're interested. But for now, if you'll excuse me," Thatch winked, "I have a burger to save."

And with that, the brunette escaped back into the kitchen where Ace knew a poor intern cook was about to hear an overused speech of how he must put his entire heart and soul into the food he made.

Ace found himself smiling with heart wrenching nostalgia and had to look away.

 _So, bar banter, is that what you're after?_ The smile Ace was sporting vanished.

_And what was all that about being a marine biology major? I am an Occultism major!_

"Like it matters." Ace scoffed and drank from his glass once more.

 _What do you mean '_ Like it matters'?! _It_ does _matter, you are butting into my life and my body! And you won't even tell me why? You just can't do that Ace, are you listening to me? You can't just take control over a person and completely ruin their life!_

Ace flinched with every word that resonated in him. The truth in them was inescapable, he absolutely had no right. Ace had known that, and still, he had done it.

"You gave me that right." was all Ace said, pushing away the rising guilt and following up with " _Mentem Carcerem."_

* * *

Sabo yelled, or at least he did in his corner of his mind. Inside his psyche, he could visualize a small version of himself pounding against the iron wall that suddenly appeared before him. Ace locked him away with those words.

 _Words have power._ Sabo had heard that somewhere and he had once thought it a highly clever phrase meant to tell people that the more words they knew, the more knowledgeable and thus powerful they were.

Now he was beginning to suspect that the old saying was something much more literal.

Sabo pushed against the door, kicked it, and shouldered it. Sabo cursed and yelled and gave empty threats; and when all was said and done Sabo slumped against the same wall.

Despite the cell he was in, he could still feel everything, could hear everything, and when his eyes were closed, he could _see_ what Ace was seeing with his body .

The blonde man with the sharp eyes returned, and Sabo could feel the smile that blossomed on his face as his food was presented, and when Sabo saw what was placed in front of him, he had to gawk. The burger–if one could even call such a thing that–was as big as his head. There was no way that his stomach could hold such a thing!

"There you go, yoi. And I assume you read the fine print, if you finish it within the next twenty minutes, your meal is free and your picture will go on our hall of fame." he explained and motioned behind him. Sabo turned his head in the direction that had been mentioned and took notice of a small collection of pictures.

There was one of a kid, who looked no more than 17 at most. An old man with peppered gray hair, a petite looking woman with bubblegum pink hair, and the last picture was actually of two people. The blonde in front him and a man with dark hair and a freckled face.

"There's no possible way my face will be joining them." Sabo mused and looked back to the intimidating piece of heart failure.

"Maybe his last wish was to kill me, and he plans on doing it by giving me a heart attack." Sabo thought out loud and ran a mental list of people he had personally offended. His list was short, or actually nonexistent. Sabo was an introvert, he would rather not deal with people as much as he could, and his friend list was nothing to boast about. He had three best friends and some acquaintances, but no one he had ever met had become an enemy.

" _I didn't see that, actually. But I will take on your challenge._ " Sabo heard himself say as a smile came over him again, " _Fuck, this thing is huge though_." Ace breathed and looked over the meal.

"Of course it's huge, idiot!" Sabo screamed at no one in particular and sighed. There really was nothing for him to do but sit back and figure out a way out of this mess.

"What was it that he said… _Carce…_ No that wasn't it. _Mente?"_ Sabo groaned and hit his head against the mental block. The thrum resonated within the space, but it went seemingly unnoticed by Ace as he dug into the thing he was considering food.

Seconds evolved into minutes and before anyone was aware of it, Ace had finished the meal and the bartender, along with the guy in the pompadour were watching Ace with both fascination and skepticism. But Sabo could only look on in disbelief as his body burped and he miraculously enough didn't feel even remotely full.

How in the hell was that possible? And why was he still surprised at the unexplainable?

"And with ten seconds to spare." Thatch whistled at the same time that Marco erased all emotion from his face. "I'll go get the camera. Mind getting the dude's name, Pineapple Pants?"

And with that, Ace and the other bartender were left alone, while Sabo was still reeling with thoughts of having so much food inside of him to pay too much attention to the nickname that was given to the blonde. That burger would be the death of him! And no one was alarmed, not even in the slightest.

"Right, your name is, yoi?"

" _Sabo, Sabo Kakumei, and yours?_ " Ace asked beaming now, though Sabo could feel the nervous jump in his leg.

Sabo didn't pay attention to that, thinking it nothing more than an unconscious habit and focused instead on the conversation between the two.

"Sabo Kakumei." Marco repeated as he wrote down the name in what Sabo could see was rather elegant scripture. "As for mine, not interested." The older man deadpanned and even Sabo had to wince at the bluntness.

"Way to be subtle." Sabo muttered and then snapped his head up, was his body seriously being used to pick up random men at a bar? As if things weren't weird enough as it was.

" _Shit, way to turn a guy down, listen if you don't play for my team that's all you need to say and I'll back off. But something tells me that you could use a night to… blow off some steam."_ Ace said, his voice lowering at the end until the blonde before him frowned and Sabo was left shocked.

"Seriously, what the fuck are you up to doing this? You are most definitely _not_ hooking up while you are in my body! Do you hear me?!" Sabo raged with newfound energy as he pounded once more against the mental door.

His cries and fists fell on deaf ears, however, as the conversation involving _his body_ continued.

The silence between Ace and the bartender stretched on, continuously, Ace smiled a smile that Sabo was sure had never crossed his lips until that moment. _"So, about my offer."_ Ace said leaning forward on his end of the bar. _"Whaddya say?"_

"Listen, kid." the bartender started in a bored, monotonous tone that more than stated he was not in the mood for this sort of exchange. "I just told you I wasn't interested, so if you would kindly get off of my bar, it would be greatly appreciated."

" _And I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm_ not _a kid_." Sabo heard himself emphasize for the older man. " _All I am asking is for you to give me a shot, what do you have to loose other than a few hours?_ " Ace continued to say, pausing for a moment to let the words sink in, " _For all you know, I may be the love of your life and this is the start of a beautiful relationship."_

The man frowned, his stormy blue eyes piercing deeply into Sabo's own. No doubt he was trying to get the other to back the fuck off and leave him alone. But Ace was either too dense and refused to see the warnings, or he was meeting the challenge head on.

Sabo believed it was the latter by what he had learned about Ace in the few hours they had been acquainted. Sabo himself, after all, didn't know much about Ace other than the fact that he was dead and inhabiting him, and that the other refused to take no for an answer.

Ace had a fiery determination that shook Sabo even now. And the power his words held, those definitely had Sabo on edge, would he use them on the bartender to get what he wanted? Or was that ability reserved for his own person?

" _Well if you change your mind, I'll be waiting under the wisteria tree._ " Ace purred, bringing Sabo back to the scene and looking at a startled blonde before him.

Sabo was left confused, but that confusion paled in comparison to the vast spectrum of emotions that passed before the eyes of the blonde bartender.

"W-wait!" the man reached out to Sabo, but Ace had already turned away and before he knew it, they were out of the bar and headed down the street.

Did Sabo even need to ask anymore? What had just happened?

"Fucking shit, Ace, what happened?! What are you doing?! Talk to me!" Sabo screamed at the top of his lungs until his voice was rough and he was left out of breath.

His words fell again to darkness, and Ace began to hum, seemingly unaware of Sabo's inner turmoil. Sabo slumped against the mental block again and exhaled a sigh. He was getting nowhere and the phrases he had heard from Ace refused to form in his mind. _Mentes_ , was that the word he had heard?

Sabo watched as Ace continued on his way, hands tucked into Sabo's pants as he skipped from the road onto the sidewalk and entered the edge of the forest. The area wasn't a vast forest, more like a small nature reserve that was _supposed_ to be kept away from, but every now and then people invaded it for one reason or another.

The invisible path began to get steeper and Sabo frowned, he had never been as adventurous as Koala and thus had never wandered into the small forest. So he no longer had any idea just where his body would end up.

"Maybe they'll find me dead in a ditch, or floating down stream where a poor soul will chance upon me, my face half torn away by a hungry fish." Sabo shuddered at the images.

" _You seriously think I'm out to kill you?"_ Sabo heard himself laugh. _"Dude if I wanted you dead, don't you think I woulda done it by now?"_ Ace asked ducking under a low hanging branch and Sabo sat upright turning his head in every direction despite knowing there was nothing for him to see.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't think that if you'd just tell me what is going on!" Sabo countered.

" _Amends, that's what I need you for."_ Ace replied.

"Would it kill you to be more specific?" Sabo asked, crossing his arms.

" _Not really, but why would I want to tell you? Look Sabo, you're cool. And had I not met an untimely demise and ended up dead, we coulda become friends. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way and certain things get you killed and in need of a solution. And just because you happen to be my solution, that in no way entitles you to know my intentions. Get it?"_

Sabo found himself frowning and more than a little miffed.

* * *

Ace rested against the solid trunk of the ancient tree as he turned a small blossom between fingers that weren't his.

Ace had died four months ago. Strange thing it was, death. Scriptures and people alike teach others to fear death and to avoid it with every ounce of their being, but it truly hadn't been so bad.

Ace was sure he would have moved on to whatever lay at the other side, but he had been unable to make himself go. How could Ace keep going when he had left Marco behind? How could Ace just skip into the next world when his soulmate was still residing in this one?

The answer was that Ace _couldn't,_ he refused to do so. And that was how the spell online happened. And when some idiot finally spoke the spell, Ace couldn't have been more thrilled, especially with the fact that he happened to be in the same town.

Sabo was locked back up in his mental cell and Ace was alone again, playing his waiting game.

Low, muffled rustling soon brought Ace looking up to a distressed blonde. And guilt immediately pooled into Ace as he froze in his spot.

Marco looked vacantly at Ace, his half lidded eyes puffed and bloodshot as he stepped closer. "How did you know about this spot, yoi?"

Ace gulped, he couldn't speak, he couldn't move. Not yet.

"Tell me!" Marco yelled and Ace jumped.

Marco never yelled. No matter what ever happened, Marco never lost his cool. He was _known_ for this. Marco the Phoenix never yelled.

"A man who has seen eons before his eyes still has questions about the world?" Ace asked and smiled sadly, there was no joy in his voice, no shine in that smile; there was only sadness.

"You know they say that nothing can ruffle the feathers of a Phoenix." Ace murmured as he rose to his feet. "But I think that phrase is bullshit. People assumed that Phoenix's are rational, they think with their heads and were rarely lead to by the heart. I suppose that could have been true for the first generation, maybe even the second, but the last... They learned to love." By then, Ace was whispering, a few inches away from a rigid Marco.

The older of the two was unable to look away, unable to leave and forced to watch as a stranger told him of his flaws. But Ace persisted, he needed to tell Marco. " _Aeternum,_ I promised you, didn't I?"

Marco's body may as well been hit by lightning the way he flinched away from Ace, eyes blown wide and filled with what he could only describe as fearful hope.

Marco's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, no words able to escape the tightness in his throat and Ace couldn't help but reach out to him again, albeit hesitantly.

" _Don't!"_ the choked plea might as well have been a slap to the face to Ace, who stared wide eyed at the man before him.

"I don't know what kind of sick game you are playing." Marco hissed and Ace found himself shrinking away. "But I refuse to be part of this, you've had your fun, is that not enough?"

Ace was the one who couldn't speak now, Marco was hurt. And only then could Ace see exactly _how_ _deep_ the wounds had been. Ace's death had devastated Marco and he had never taken that into consideration, Ace was focused on one thing the entire time: getting back to him. Never once had he sat back to think of the possibilities. And now he was looking at the consequences.

" _Me pae…"_ the words were weak, a mere ghost of a whisper but they brought those stormy blue eyes to his. " _Me paenitet. Quaeso! Quaeso me paenitet!"_

" _Vere est tibi?"_ the words were no higher than a whisper, yet Ace could hear them as if they were spoken right before him.

Ace ignored the sullen cautious tone the words held, he knew that Marco would be skeptical and would not be so willing to reply so quickly. So the very fact that he had received a response was enough for Ace, Marco was talking to him!

Ace nodded, "Of course it's me." he said softly as he stepped closer, daring to reach out to his beloved. "Marco."

Marco snapped out of his spell in that same moment and seized Ace into his arms, pulling him into his embrace, flames rising to envelop the pair as Marco shook with emotion.

A mixture of laughter and sobs reached Ace's ears as Marco held him tighter. "You really are back. Ace, you're back, yoi."

Ace joined in the exhilarating laughter of relief, burying his head into the crook of his lover's neck, he was where he belonged. Enveloped in the arms of his beloved phoenix, surrounded by the fiery aura of the ancient soul.

"Forever Marco, remember?" Ace asked breathlessly.

"You dolt, don't you ever do that again. Never leave me again Ace." Marco murmured as he lowered his head, nudging Ace until the younger man rose his head and their lips met.

Ace's response was immediate, his eyes fluttered to a close while his hands rose up to coil around Marco, pulling him closer to the phoenix.

The fire that had enveloped them seemed to burn brighter as Marco's hands fell down to Ace's hips, taking them firmly into his hold and pulling Ace closer to him as their lips danced with one another, each of them pouring out everything that was left unsaid in their reunion.

Every minute they had been apart, every single second that they had been unable to see, hear, touch, _taste_ each other was being projected in that kiss. Their wandering hands were desperately trying to assure one another that this was real, that they were once again together, and that they had found each other despite every single odd against them.

Ace had Marco and Marco had Ace once again. They were together.

They were where they belonged.

* * *

Sabo clamped a hand over his mouth, but his efforts were for naught; the sensations continued to plague him despite his imprisonment.

Sabo could feel the bartender's lips on his, could feel teeth nipping at his bottom lip, and the way they pulled and demanded that he opened his mouth. And though Sabo didn't want to give into the demand, he found that he was powerless to what his body did.

Sabo's mouth opened despite his protests, and his tongue was immediately tangling with another.

A muffled moan echoed throughout his cell as a foreign tongue plunged into his depths to worship his awaiting mouth.

 _No, please_. The thought rang throughout Sabo's mind, but there was no one to listen. No one heard his plea and all he could do was squirm under the phantom touches.

Sabo gasped involuntarily as two palms cupped his rear and dug into his flesh, pushing him even closer to the solid form before him. And it was then that he felt it, the rushing heat that was pooling in his gut, spilling down to his groin and swelling his- _No! No, this isn't right!_

Sabo struggled against the foreign feelings of desire and need. He didn't want what was happening. Sabo didn't want to experience this! He'd never asked for this to happen, and his body shouldn't be reacting like this!

 _This is wrong!_ Sabo cried and yet he could not stop the sultry moan that escaped him as Marco's teeth dug into the soft flesh of his earlobe, followed by a warm tongue that caressed the fresh mark right before a mouth claimed the flesh and sucked possessively.

" _Marco_." The name was breathless and meant nothing to Sabo. He tried to block everything out, but those hooded blue eyes bore deeply into his, they promised to claim him. They assured him that in no time he would be one with the man encased in flames.

The fire rolling off of the other man was the least of Sabo's worries; it had long ago proved to be nothing more than a manifestation of the other's feelings. Had Sabo not been busied with other thoughts, he sure as hell would have been more analytical of the fire. In that moment, however, he couldn't find it in himself to care.

The first button came undone.

 _No_. Sabo pushed at the disembodied hands, but as he should have expected he had no effect on their advancements.

His newly fevered skin was exposed to the cool air around them and his frame shivered with pleasure.

Another button came undone and Marco's hot lips finally released his abused earlobe.

"Ace." The name was just as breathless and meaningless as the last one that had been spoken mere seconds ago. And still Sabo's treacherous body reacted to it, his abdomen was burning with further heat as Ace relished in the deep husky tone.

"Ace, wait, what is happening?" Sabo heard through the darkness of his cell, the wandering hands stopping right where the fire under his skin was concentrated.

"This." There was a pause in the man's voice. "Fire never hurt you before."

Sabo's heartbeat roared through his ears and he could feel the confusion that went through Ace's mind as he processed the words. _"Fire?"_ Ace asked and Sabo stilled as his eyes looked over the blaze that was rolling off of the bartender.

"It's spreading." Marco spoke again. Shock and alarm was evident in the man's voice as he pulled away and took the rest of Sabo's buttons along with him.

Gulping, Sabo followed the stormy blue eyes to his side at the same moment Ace looked over, and a gasp was shared between host and spirit.

The fire that had been steadily growing in Sabo was not a source of passion, nor of need, or desire. His flesh was literally burning. The origin point began right above his heart and unfurled across his chest, marring the flesh as it advanced further across Sabo's persona.

Sabo's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the phenomena that was unfolding, it was surreal. He could feel the effects of the burns, and he could _see_ it as it streaked across his skin, painting the surface of his person with its dark red markings.

Ace stared at the the tendrils of fire too, completely mesmerized by the anomaly. _"I… I don't know_." Ace finally breathed out. " _Marco, I–this is not my doing!"_

Without a word, Marco took a hold of Sabo's shirt and tore the fabric off of his body, revealing more of the marred skin. Whatever protests Sabo might've had at the action died on his lips as he assessed the damage. The burn had reached to his left shoulder, and he could feel the prickling sensation crawling its way across his lower back, snaking around his waist and licking its way down his entire left side.

Too absorbed was Sabo in the horrific scene to notice the shift in the bartender's eyes. He was too busy trying to convince himself that he was in fact dreaming; that he had never woken up that morning with that horrid headache, and that he was still on his chair. Sabo had been researching something the night before, and he had read so many weird and disturbing 'encounters' on the web that he must be dreaming something akin to what he had discovered.

There was no ghost inhabiting him, and he was not in the woods in that moment. Sabo was not alone with a stranger half naked in the woods, and he most certainly wasn't being barbecued from the inside out.

But truth of the matter was, Sabo _was_ awake. And he _was_ possessed by a spirit or demon, or whatever the fuck Ace was, and Sabo definitely was in the middle of the woods making out with a man he had just met at a shady bar, and now he was dying.

"Sabo." Marco's words snapped him out of his thoughts, and apparently they did the same number on Ace if his head jerking up immediately was any indication.

"He's in there with you, isn't he?" Marco pressed and stepped forward, cupping Sabo's face while meeting his eyes.

Ace flinched under the intense glare of his lover and Sabo couldn't help but do the same within his imprisonment. The blue orbs bore deeply into his soul and Sabo could have worn that their eyes made contact as well. Marco had _seen_ him. Marco saw _Sabo,_ not his imposter.

" _He said he was okay with it."_ Ace snapped defensively and pulled away before crossing Sabo's arms across his chest, wincing in the process.

"Ace, what did he say exactly, yoi?" Marco continued to press, his hands made to move up and touch Sabo again, but he refrained. Sabo could feel the pang of sadness that hit Ace at the lack of contact, but Sabo couldn't find it in himself to care about the other's feelings. Not when his were so blatantly ignored.

" _He said what he needed to!"_ Ace said irately and finally looking away from Marco's gaze.

"Tell he me his _exact_ words, Acey, please." Marco tried again, softening his tone. Sabo guessed that the lowering of his voice had a special meaning to Ace, because when he heard it, the anger that was sparking within Sabo was soothed and Ace looked up again.

" _Vinculum in me, et ego dabo vobis mea sui"_ Ace repeated, albeit grudgingly.

Marco's eyebrows furrowed as he ran the words through his mind, no doubt analyzing them, while Sabo too soaked in the words and repeated them in his mind. But Sabo did not find any solace in their meaningless words, they were still just a mess of vowels and consonants that held no answers to his impending doom.

Daring a glance at Marco, Sabo saw the exact moment realization hit the blonde. "You never rid the body of it's current soul. You never put it to sleep Ace, you just imprisoned him within the mind, didn't you, yoi?"

Sabo's shoulders shrugged while he himself screamed out that that was exactly how things had played out; he was there. Sabo was _aware_ and Sabo did not want to be involved, he hadn't known that his search would lead him to that point, and he wished so bad that he could take his curiosity back. He longed for his freedom, he wanted to live, he wanted… No, he did not _want_ the bartender, those weren't _Sabo's_ feelings!

These emotions were Ace's.

Ace didn't say anything for a good minute and Marco sighed. "Ace, talk to me. Is he still there?"

" _Yes, he is here."_ Ace finally spoke, confirming Sabo's existence and Marco's suspicions in one confession.

"Two souls can't inhabit the same body, Ace." Marco said finally stepping closer to Sabo and gently removing his arms from across his chest, examining the burned area.

"A body simply can't withstand the energy of two souls, and Sabo's body has reached its limit, it's burning up, yoi." Marco explained softly, sadness evident in his voice.

" _That can't be… I'm_ dying, _again?"_ Ace choked out, while Sabo was left speechless, the same thought running through his mind.

"I'm dying. My body is dying. My body is dying?!" Alarm filled the inside of his mind, his feelings matching Ace's perfectly as Sabo tugged at his hair frantically. This couldn't be happening. _This isn't happening!_

And yet it was.

* * *

"No. No, you are not dying again." Marco's words brought Ace back from the dark thoughts.

"But I am, Marco, and this time I don't think I'll get a second shot… The ancient books Gramps had on our language were incomplete, many of our words were lost to time and I could barely make out the binding spell." Ace swallowed hard. "I fucked up, didn't I?"

Marco shook his head and embraced Ace. "No, didn't mess up, the spell you used was meant to bind two people together, yoi. Your ancestors used it in some uniting ceremonies where two souls were united by marriage, and then their souls were linked. That was how the term _soulmates_ was coined. But when you bind two souls into one body…" Marco took a steadying breath.

"It was never done, at least to no one's knowledge. And this result is exactly why, because the consequences were too great, yoi."

Ace had relaxed in Marco's hold, but his breathing was refusing to calm down as his mind raced with every word he had learned from his people. It wasn't long until Ace settled on the only word that could fit the situation. _"Morte."_

"Death isn't so bad Marco, it's–" Ace was interrupted by a hiss as the pulsing fire licked along the base of his neck. It was really spreading quickly. "Dying is scary, that's for sure, but it's not painful, it's more of a nothingness. You're awake in a sense, and you remember who you are, but after a while, your memories get fuzzy." Ace explained as best he could. "I would rather not do it again, but I am glad that I got to see you once more, Marco. I'm happy that I get to say goodbye this time."

Ace managed a small smile that soon fell. "And I wanted to apologize for throwing our first chance away. If I hadn't tried to extend my life above the average span of the D family, then I would have still been here for you."

Ace heard Marco's sharp intake of breath and his shoulders slumped, he had known Marco wouldn't have approved the theory. So Ace had evaded telling Marco of his late night research, and had hoarded the secret with his life. Conclusively paying the ultimate price.

"You tried to what?" Marco asked pulling back far enough to search Ace's gaze.

"I wanted to be with you as long as possible, Marco, I know it was foolish. And I acknowledge that I was selfish in doing so… But how could I just let it happen? You've always been alone, Marco, and being alone is the worst thing there is on this earth. I didn't want to be another chapter in your life where you were happy for a brief moment and then lonely again. I wanted to be your last chapter, your–" Ace's words died on his lips as he let out a strangled cry.

The fire was creeping up his face, halting Ace's explanation, but he had said the necessary words. Ace knew that Marco could put two and two together.

"Why didn't you tell me Ace?" Marco asked, his voice soft and void of any judgement. Though, Ace couldn't help but wince in its wake.

"I didn't know what to think the day I found you, yoi." Marco swallowed hard, the sadness returning to his eyes and consuming Ace in the process. "When I saw you there, hidden between your stacks of books, I thought I lost you forever, Acey."

"You didn't!" Ace replied quickly, not at all caring that his new body protested the action when it caused the fire to jump across his skin anew. The fire was now directly under his left eye and crossing the bridge of his nose.

"But I _am_ , Ace." Marco said, his hand gently caressing Ace's cheek. "I am losing you again. And how I wish that it wasn't true, Acey, how I wish that we had enjoyed our time together. I knew that our love was strong and that we could have had many happy years, but I also knew that I was cursed to lose you when your time came. I _thought_ I was prepared to watch you fade when that happened, but it wasn't until your death that I realized that I had been lying to myself. I never wanted you to say goodbye, Ace. I was never really prepared to let you go, just as I'm not ready to lose you a second time, yoi. Which is why we have remove the second soul from this body."

"We what?" Ace asked momentarily stunned out of his melancholy only to stare at Marco with wide eyes.

"If we can rid your body of the second soul, then you have a shot, Ace. This is the key to your spell!" Marco realized, taking a hold of Ace's shoulders and speaking quickly, urgently. "The spell _is_ working, Ace, it extends your life by making your soul transferable, yoi. A human body, even those of the D family, can't stand the test of time, so by extending the life of the soul itself, that was the answer."

"So, we have to kill him?" Ace asked slowly, grimacing with the pain that was wracking his body.

Marco didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes."

And though Ace knew that it was _wrong_ –he had just meant to use the body to see Marco again, to say goodbye and apologize–Ace could not turn down the chance that was being presented to him. If Ace had to become a reaper of souls to be with Marco, then he would do it. Ace didn't have to think long on it before he nodded. "Tell me how."

* * *

Marco didn't reply in the sense of an answer, instead he said, " _Somnum."_

Marco saw Ace's eyes roll to the back of his skull and his head slumped forward while the rest of his body went limp in Marco's arms. "I won't lose you again, yoi. Not if I can save you." Marco murmured laying Ace's body down gently and knelt beside him, waiting for the other soul to emerge as he prepared for what was to come.

Marco didn't have to wait long before Sabo shot up, flinching with the pain his body was still receiving and gasping for breath. Those impossibly blue eyes settled on Marco and immediately, Sabo made to move away, but he found himself entrenched to the floor under him. The roots that were lying just below the surface had risen at Marco's one command and held the blonde down, hindering him from freedom.

" _Please_. Please reconsider!" Sabo yelled as his hand reached out to clutch at Marco's wrist with a grip that surprised the phoenix, but otherwise did not bother him.

"I don't want to die, Marco, please!" Sabo begged.

"You do not get to call me that" Marco snapped, his concentration broken for a moment.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what else to call you. It sucks that you lost one another. And if there was any other way that I could help you two be together, then believe me, I _would_ help you! Just give me time to help you guys figure something out. Please, _please_ don't kill me."

"There _isn't_ any other way. And we have no time in case you haven't noticed." Marco grit out motioning to the spreading scar tissue. "Now please be quiet." He said with a finality that he loathed. Marco was a phoenix, a keeper of peace and harmony, he was supposed to be conserving lives not extinguishing them. But every now and then, ridding the world of a life was necessary, and if that life was used to give Ace another shot. Then Marco would not hesitate to hand that life over for Ace. Not after losing him once already.

"There _has_ to be another way, you didn't even consider any other possibilities or alternatives. It immediately became: 'Oh, kill the third party and keep his body', there has to be another way! We can store his soul in a totem until we can find a solution, I have tons of them back in my place, just please give me a chance." Sabo spoke in one breath, but Marco supposed that the concerns for breaths was discarded when imminent death loomed over one's head.

Marco ignored the blonde, however, letting his pleas, protests, bargains, and curses to be nothing more than a noise in the background as he closed his eyes and sang the song of his people.

 _Tuus sum ego in aeternum._ _Te amo._

The words that he and Ace had exchanged the night before Ace had vanished from Marco's world repeated themselves over and over in his head like a mantra that he used to fuel his resolve. Marco's song rose over the desperate cries of the boy in front of him, and Marco could _feel_ the fear, anguish, and despair in the person before him. Sabo was scared of death, he was scared of Marco and even through all that Marco could sense no ill will from the boy directed at himself nor Ace.

Sabo truly was a good soul. And yet, Marco could not find it in himself to spare him. Marco's song continued to play. A phoenix had the power to eliminate lives by song, the melody itself was the power that transformed their flames into a chain that could never pierce skin, but rather the soul itself. It was a measure only used during the war between the Phoenix Race and those of the D Clan. Word mages were pitted against the beasts of magic, and to eliminate those people with magical souls, the phoenix people created a weapon that could eliminate the soul. That tale, however, was thousands of years old, and for another time when he explained to Ace how exactly he had to eliminate the second soul in his body.

The phoenix's death song continued until the chain had surrounded Sabo and in an instant struck into the rapidly beating heart.

Sapphire blue met stormy eyes, and only then did Marco realize that they were both shedding tears. Marco could only utter two words. "Forgive me."

The chain wrapped around the heart and squeezed. The sound that escaped Sabo then was nothing human, it was a cry of death. But this cry was nothing like those in his past, where he had faced off against those of the word mage lineage. This scream carried an echo.

_NO._

Sabo's eyes flashed a warm gray for a moment before the life in them was extinguished and Marco scrambled forward. "Ace? Acey, talk to me, _amare."_

The body before him didn't respond. The warmth that it had held moments ago was rapidly fading and Marco refused to believe that his worst fears had become realized. The corrosion that had overtaken the body had stopped in its course, and was now nothing more than a reminder of Marco's mistake.

"Ace, please talk to me, give me a sign… _anything."_ Marco whispered, curling himself over the body he held. And for the second time, mourning the loss of his beloved.

Neither Sabo nor Ace responded, and the phoenix was alone again, with the knowledge that he had killed an innocent and his lover in the process. This was Marco's punishment, this was his curse.

Ace had promised _eaternum_ , but only then did Marco realize that the only eternal promise for him in this heartless world was solitude.

_**Finis** _

**Author's Note:**

> So as stated before, here are your promised translations:
> 
> Vinculum in me = Bond with me
> 
> et ego dabo vobis mea sui = And I give you myself
> 
> Mentem Carcerem = Mind prison
> 
> Aeternum = Eternity
> 
> Me paenitet = I'm sorry
> 
> Queaso = Please
> 
> Vere est tibi? = Is it really you?
> 
> Morte = Death
> 
> Somnum = Sleep
> 
> Tuus sum ego in aeternum.Te amo. = I am forever yours. I love you.
> 
> Amare = love
> 
> Finis = Fin / End
> 
> So yeah, eternal love. *sets tissue dispenser on the wall* Let me know what you think?!
> 
> Thank you for reading!~


End file.
